Officers say they can't take any action against people who strip off at the seaside even if they get complaints.

The admission comes after chalet owners in Hill Head, near Fareham, demanded that police and Fareham Borough Council do something about nudists bathing on the western end of the beach.

The beach has become a popular spot for nudists, who have posted messages and directions to the beach on the internet to help others find it.

The law on public nudity changed five years ago – and simple nudity such as nude sunbathing, is no longer illegal.

Gill Jacobs, 60, complained to police about the nakedness and said she was stunned to be told nothing could be done.

She said: 'It's completely unacceptable. These people are just lying around completely naked in full view, some even walking along the waters edge.

'They shouldn't be allowed to parade their bodies in public and it's not very nice or fair on other people, especially children. But the police and council just turn a blind eye.'

Treavis McCall, treasurer of the Meon Shore Chalet Owner's Association, said: 'It's really not on anymore.

'It's getting so bad that people can no longer just take a walk along the beach without seeing someone naked. It makes me so cross.'

Police in the Hill Head area have answered any complaints. But Inspector Chris Manktelow said the sunbathers were not breaking the law.

'Just lying on the beach naked or looking out to sea is not illegal,' he said. 'If they were engaging in sexual activity that would be seen as a lewd, obscene or disgusting act so would come under the common law offence of outraging public decency. But just sunbathing is not enough.

'This is happening up one end of the beach, away from where the crowds go, and we've not actually had that many complaints.'

Fareham Borough Council said it had received a handful of complaints and was not planning to take any action.

Police in Portsmouth said they had few problems with nudists because they tended to stay at the designated nudist beach at the Eastney end of the seafront.